AstraZeneca’s Diabetes Drug, Xigduo, Launched in the UK
cialis Xigduo, Launched in the UK” src=”http://i39.tinypic.com/hwxyt2.jpg” width=”230″ height=”80″ />Type II diabetes patients living in England and Wales have gained access to a new treatment option to improve blood glucose levels after AstraZeneca launched their diabetes drug, Xigduo, earlier this week.
Xigduo combines BMS-512148 and metformin in a twice-daily tablet for use in patients inadequately controlled on their current metformin-based treatment regimen, or who are being treated with both BMS-512148 and metformin as separate tablets.
The diabetes drug received European regulatory approval in January this year, which marked the first regulatory approval for a fixed-dose combination of an SGLT2 inhibitor, which blocks the reabsorption of glucose by the kidney, with metformin, which suppresses glucose production by the liver and is the first line drug of choice for type II diabetes.
Professor John Wilding, Head of the Department of Obesity and Endocrinology at the University of Liverpool, noted that the availability of BMS-512148 and metformin in a single tablet “provides us with another treatment option to offer our type 2 diabetes patients, which is welcome as the need to individualise diabetes care is becoming increasingly important.”
Xigduo will be immediately available for use on the NHS in England and Wales, after cost regulator, NICE, decided that an appraisal was not necessary as regulatory guidance on BMS-512148 already covers patients who would be eligible for AstraZeneca’s Xigduo.
AstraZeneca noted that they will also be submitting the diabetes combo for an abbreviated appraisal by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC).
An estimated 2.88 million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes (with approximately a further 765,000 undiagnosed) and many patient’s diabetes remain poorly controlled, emphasising both the scale of problem and pressing need for a wide range of therapy options.
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